Are student pilots required to file and activate a flight plan on solo cross country flights? I've heard a lot of mixed opinions, but cannot find a definitive answer. While I was training, I was required by my instructor to get VFR flight following, but not file...

Flight following is not always guaranteed.
What would you have done if the controller denied your request on the basis of workload? Continued on your solo x/c?
I think a better question would be why NOT file a VFR x/c?
Go through the motions and learn about the system a little.
I certainly can't think of a safety reason why you shouldn't have a student solo file.

USMCFLYR

Thanks, yes I would feel very much safe about having students file a flight plan. I made the mistake of assuming it is not a requirement by the example of some other CFIs at the FBO...

It is not required by regs, but our flight school requires it in our Safety and Procedures Manual for 141 lessons.

Not required but a good thing to do. Make sure they close it though.

As a flight instructor, you want to give all the possible training that you can give to your student. Filing a VFR flight plan is not required, but I made sure that all my students filed, opened and closed a flight plan on every solo x-c flight. I even had them put my cell phone number with "Flight Instructor" in the "Destination Contact/Telephone" section, so if they forgot to close their flight plan, I would get a phone call from the FSS.

Not required by regs, but you as the CFI can require it as a condition of the solo endorsement.

Thank you, sounds like a great idea. From now on it will be a requirement for me...

A lot of people think that of flight following as an adequate substitute for filing.

Realistically, if you have flight following the controller may not even notice that your blip on the radar has dissapeared if you go down. Even if he does, unless you manage to get out a very clear and informed mayday call, it will be unknown how much fuel you had on board, how many people were on board, what color your plane was, who to contact to establish that an incident has occured and everything else that goes into filing.

I'm a firm believer that both should be used. Taking the time to file one, and remembering to close one is annoying, but a good practice even though it is not required by the government. My school made it a requirement

While flight following is on a "capacity available" basis, the reality is that it is almost as good as IFR as far as controller oversight. I essentially always use it when flying GA. In a busy environment like SOCAL, it's almost foolish not to use FF.